


Question (Answer)

by midnight_cowboy



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: (and I'm depicting it as both projection and genuine discussion), (or characters are a questioning ace and more experienced grey aroace), (yes! it can be BOTH in my fic!), Aromantic, Character Study, Discussion of feelings, Discussions of Kissing and Romance, Gen, Implied Sasha/Azu, Knives, Mentioned Vesseek, Minor Grizzop drik acht Amsterdam/Vesseek, Missing Scene, Out of Character, RQG 103, no beta we die like romans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:02:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28730115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnight_cowboy/pseuds/midnight_cowboy
Summary: Sasha asks Grizzop quite an unexpected question, to which he tries to answer the best he can.
Relationships: Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam & Sasha Racket
Comments: 10
Kudos: 26





	Question (Answer)

**Author's Note:**

> this was brewing inside of me for a while, because I've realised last year, while chipping on Grizzop as a character and my headcanons about him, that I really like the popular fandom headcanon that he's some flavour of aro because I, myself, am aro; so here's a small moment I'm really proud of, especially considering this is the first time in a while that I sat down and wrote a whole, completed fic in under an hour.
> 
> not really affecting the fic, but in how I've tried my best to depict it, Sasha is questioning ace, and Grizzop is grey aroace.

"Grizzop, have you ever kissed anyone? Like, on the mouth and stuff."

Sasha asks him this question while Azu, the only one of the three with some knowledge of Arabic, is talking to a pair of locals about how to get to the "Dessicated Colonial", or something like that.

At first, Grizzop's whole brain blanks. Then his mouth is faster than the mind:

"Yea, sure: couple of my classmates, an Athena acolyte who really liked me, Vesseek", and then, as he catches up with what he said, Grizzop splutters, his ears flattening against his head: "Uh, don't-- forget about that last name, 'right? I'm always bad at remembering I'm supposed to give a different name, 's weird and all that."

"...cross my heart, Grizzop", Sasha answers softly, and even _literally_ quickly crosses her chest with her fingers. It's her thinking face that makes Grizzop start connecting the dots:

"Sooo... there's a particular reason you're asking that?"

Sasha's worried lip bite followed by a look in Azu's direction? Says a lot. But not everything.

"She's just... really good, y'know? An' people always used to say, like, 'round", she makes a vague, somehow even more awkward than her usual _"I am interacting with people"_ , gesture: "That if you're liking someone else, it usually ends up with a kiss. Or, um", the way her pale face is lit with a slight pink hue is both a sudden and nice look on Sasha, even a little bit fun "More? But I don't even get all of _that_ , and she's. You _know_!" She throws her hands up in the air, making a point, despite Grizzop not really getting what this "you _know_ " in particular means. She then takes a deep breath, now less pink, which was probably the closest to being visibly embarrassed she could get, and continues:

"People always say how you're supposed to show how you care for other people, right? And I care, like, with 'amid, and you, and help you. I would even give one of my knives to you!"

O _kay_ , now _this_ is what Grizzop understands wholeheartedly, and which fills his whole chest with warmness. His eyes prickle a bit, because he understands how much Sasha cares to even _consider_ this.

"But she's like-- she's a priestess of a goddess of Love, with a capital L!" She's now twirling a knife between her fingers that wasn't there before just a moment ago.

"And maybe you're supposed to do it, show it differently to folks like that? I-- I really want her to know I care! But what if she won't _get_ it?"

Sasha looks so broken up over this, so worried, that she almost doesn't catch a knife on a particularly hard twirl.

Which means things are, indeed, serious.

"It's. Hm."

Grizzop takes a deep breath, calming himself. It's one of the things you really can't push, or force into a quick solution like he'd want it to; to get that lesson in his own head proper, he had to be almost _literally_ held down by Vesseek for a Serious Conversation.

He kind of wishes they were here; they'd _love_ Sasha, and want to help her immediately in every way, including this one.

Also they'd get on with Azu like a _house on fire_ , good grief.

But Vesseek isn't here, and Grizzop has to gather every ounce of patience and experience into his voice:

"Sasha, you don't _have_ to worry about kissing, or forcing yourself into understanding what your feelings are right now, 'lright?" At her confused glance, he awkwardly supplies: "What others say is often really, _really_ simplified, and doesn't fit for everyone. You want Azu to like you? Great! But I don't think you should force yourself to get the goals set by whoever there is around you, or like... slap a label on your feelings, as - oh, here you go, all in perfect order for you to file in the papers."

All of that seems to cheer her up, her tenseness easing a bit, and the lines of her face being less of a worry, and more like she's thinking of what they're talking about. So he tries to get his point further:

"Also, have you considered that you maybe _won't_ like kissing?"

Her face at _that_ suggestion immediately tells him that yes, she did, extensively even.

"I don't like it either!" When Sasha turns to him, eyebrows rising up, Grizzop laughs: "You asked me if I kissed someone, 'on the mouth and stuff'," him mimicking her almost startles a laugh out of her, which, yes, a tiny win, "but not if I had _liked_ it. I don't! At all! 's proper _weird,_ you know. Can't really see the appeal. Pecks and stuff, not on mouth? Kind of nice! Sometimes even really, _really_ nice! But I really do not get the mouth stuff? And lots of people like it?!"

Sasha coughs, but he's pretty sure here that she's masking a laugh here. She also seems more at ease now, knife now swapping between hands in slower motions.

"So you don't have to really bother with kissing stuff. I get that us bein' allowed to use a holy artefact of a love goddess might've left an impression, along with the cult itself, but _come on_ , it's not the end all be all, yeah?"

Yeah, nods Sasha, not even realising she does.

And maybe this is overstepping the boundaries, but... this closure, this conversation? Reminds him of himself. And so it makes Grizzop open up. He tries his best at not letting his voice waver as he says:

"And the thing is... I also don't know a lot of the time what my feelings are."

Azu in front of them is gesticulating excitedly, probably finally stumbling onto _something_ in the conversation, as the locals seem to understand what she needs from them, and, judging by their answering gestures, are now showing the path.

Sasha and Grizzop look at the scene in silence for a while.

Topaz to the side of them seems to ignore everything in the world. Lucky celestial camel. Doesn't have to deal with words and feelings.

"I don't get this... hearts and romance business. Never did, prob'ly never will. But also I care? A lot? Don't tell Azu," he adds in a fake hurry, which this time brings a smile on Sasha's face. Good. It fits her, to be genuinely happy. "So I care, and I care, and I _care_ , but I never really get to that-- oh so wonderful and bright love that Aphrodite's folks preach? And, uh," Grizzop takes a deep breath, feeling his stomach churn a bit with past anxiety rearing its ugly head, "I worried. For some time. If I'm less for that. If somehow that's a bad thing. And now... now I think it doesn't matter. I don't fit, and so what, it's just different, not _bad._ Am I wrong?" He turns to his friend in askance.

"No. I don't think--", she stumbles here, eyebrows furrowing once again; but then Sasha looks at him, and she's firm as she says " _no_ ".

He smiles, and the anxiety in him settles begrudgingly.

"Then is it wrong for you to not really understand what your feelings are and how to show them? Is it wrong to be yourself?"

"...No."

"Well, there you go then. Case closed."

Sasha looks thoughtful now, and even more calm. She sheaths the dagger she was twirling somewhere under her coat, and then finally says:

"...I'll still try to be better at people stuff with Azu. So she can, well. Get me, who an' how I am, better."

Grizzop nods, mimicking the sage nods of the temple teachers he vaguely remembers:

"Sure. Just don't ask me for tips on kissing and we're good."

And _that_ is when Sasha doesn't even mask it, just outright _cackles_ at that phrase, only hiding her mouth behind a hand some moments later, catching herself.

Grizzop beams, and nudges her a bit when he sees Azu coming back to them:

"Well, catch your moment, Sasha."

"My friends!" Azu's booming, yet somehow still gentle, voice feels full of radiant pride. "I have figured out how we should proceed! Though you won't _believe_ what a mishap we've encountered", she walks up to them and pats Topaz on the side, finally making the camel move.

She explains quickly how the name was somewhat different, that they've went a completely wrong direction initially, and where they have to go now; when they all saddle back onto the back of Topaz, instead of quickly scrambling up, like she did before, Sasha lets Azu help her, making the latter smile in happy confusion.

Azu also almost forgets Grizzop on the ground because of it, but oh well.

Worth it, he thinks, patting his chest where the hidden pocket is.

Seeing his friends being happy is always worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> this tiny discussion between Sasha and Grizzop sparked because of how many fics I usually see, out of fandom and in it, that start with the premise of characters kissing because one of them brought up either if one of them ever kissed anyone, or their inexperience.
> 
> but what if the characters didn't like kissing? so yeah, this was my take on this idea. hope you like it :')
> 
> i'm also on [tumblr](https://rinnannon.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/rinnannon).


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